BlackBerry and Gmail: two great flavors that should, in theory, go well together. Unfortunately, there are some issues when integrating the two, hence a BBGeeks-wide obsession with developments in the relationship — particularly about a two-way sync, a feature available with many web-based email clients but not yet with Gmail. We learned last month that RIM was working on an Enhanced Gmail plugin, and over the weekend it was released. No, it doesn’t solve the syncing issue — it’s still one way, which will lead to further frustrations from the BlackBerry Gmail community. Still, it’s an improvement, and something that all BlackBerry Gmail users will welcome.
The install process involves deleting the Gmail account on your BlackBerry and re-adding it. You can do this by following the links at blackberry.com/gmail, or you can do it by logging into your BIS account and deleting and then re-adding it manually.
After that you’ll receive an email prompting you to download it. The link is the same: blackberry.com/gmail. Click the Download button there and you’ll go through the process. That will place a Gmail icon in your Applications Menu. This is where you have to access the plugin — you cannot access features like archiving and marking as spam through your normal Messages application.
As a quick rundown of new features, you can use labels, report spam messages, search your Gmail account even if the emails aren’t on your BlackBerry, archive your messages, and view your messages in conversation form. All of these additions are welcome — though I don’t know how much I’ll actually use the plugin. I access messages through the universal messages app, hiding the individual email icons. Still, it’s nice to have around just in case.
Now, if only we could get some two-way sync going on…
